Gr 9 Up-In a collaboration that brings together an impressive array of 21 authors, Levithan and Ehrenhaft have produced a collection worthy of exploration. Ranging from sad to funny to truly disastrous, these memorable stories mark that oh-so-important right of passage for many teenagers. Starting with dress-hating, heel-hating, bra-hating Emilie in Elizabeth Craft's "You Are a Prom Queen, Dance Dance Dance"; moving on to Daniel Ehrenhaft's "Better Be Good to Me," in which aging Zack remembers his prom and being in love with his best friend's girlfriend; and ending with rebel chicks Maggie and Carly, who throw the ultimate anti-prom party in John Green's "The Great American Morp," readers are drawn into a wide cross section of prom nights from both male and female perspectives. A celebration of all that is good, bad, and sometimes unforgettable about these events, this fast-paced but carefully strung anthology speaks of pink dresses, tuxedos, first kisses, unrequited love, and the thrill of taking love to its ultimate climax. Clever writing featuring many unexpected twists and turns, as well as a stunning display of each writer's razor-sharp wit, makes this an enjoyable read. Older teens will flock to this book, which undoubtedly features some of the best teen fiction writers of our era.-Caryl Soriano, New York Public Library Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

The twenty-one prom-related stories in this collection range from sweet-Adrienne Maria Vrettos's Mom Called, She Says You Have to Go to Prom-to downright raunchy-Holly Black's In Vodka Veritas-and pretty much everything in between. There are good, bad, nonexistent, multiple, primate, and same-sex prom dates. There is sex, drugs, drinking, dancing, magic, and love. In some stories, parents play a major role; in others, they are safely vacationing in a faraway location. In John Green's tale, The Great American Morp, there's no prom at all. There is a little bit of something for every reader. Not being a huge fan of short story collections and having spent her own prom night cleaning her room, this reviewer set off to read this collection with some trepidation before being very pleasantly surprised. It is a book that should not be relegated to the stack of fluffy reads. Although plenty of humor can be found in many of the stories, there is not a lack of substance and more serious tales are cleverly placed to balance the collection. Teens who have experienced prom can compare their stories with those found here, and teens waiting for their turn will be able to live vicariously through the many interesting characters they will meet within these pages. Certainly this book will fly off the shelves, and multiple copies may be necessary.-Kimberly Paone.